Inheritor Of Magic: The Magi King

He was being awfully formal, so Wolfe matched that energy. "The optimal group size is five or larger so that they can provide mutual support in most situations. Varied skill sets are best, as if you were on a wilderness mission, and cooperation between members is necessary, so I recommend not sending a group of complete strangers at first."

Petros nodded, then sent a magical transmission that got the Nobles in the room excited. A few of them got the message, and bowed politely before leaving the tower. They were most likely going to get supplies for the trip, and to meet up with whoever else Petros had summoned to get them up to speed on what was happening.

So, the first group to arrive were the Servants and maids, who had no idea what was going on, and no weapons or combat training. Fortunately, Petros was prepared for this eventuality, and he had gear in a storage box that he pulled through a small portal.

It was generic, just an assortment of basic magic weapons, wands and shields, but it should be enough to get them started.

What Petros wanted to know was if they would even be able to do the challenge, it wasn't a test of their equipment. In fact, over-equipping them might actually make it harder on them.

Wolfe smiled at the group. "Through that portal is a trial ground, filled with Feral Fae and Demons. There is also a trial in there, which you will recognize when you enter it. What we want you to do is explore and do your best, then report back.

The trial will send you back here if you are critically injured, but I don't recommend letting things go that far. There is no shame in retreating from excessive danger to find a better way."

Petros nodded in agreement. "I will be looking forward to your reports."

They took their preferred weapons, with a surprising number of brutally spiked clubs being chosen by the maids, and entered the portal.

"Are we sure that this is a good idea? If they hold a grudge over what happens in there, it could affect their work performance, and it's not easy to find skilled domestic workers." One of the men asked.

Petros shrugged. "If there is an issue, I will solve it. But I suspect that they will do quite well in the trials. There is something that Saint Noxus isn't telling us about the trials, and I suspect that they are secretly intended for his people to poach citizens for themselves. I just don't know the criteria."

That was actually a brilliant idea. Wolfe was a bit ashamed of himself for not thinking of it earlier. They had been more concerned about being invaded at the time, but you should never pass over the chance to get good people for your side.

"I think you just gave him the idea." One of the Generals laughed as he saw the flash of inspiration on Wolfe's face.

"Do you have no shame?" Petros sighed.

"We've known each other for how long now? Of course, I have shame. Just not a lot of it." Wolfe joked.

The line soldiers were the next group to arrive, mostly in their work clothes and carrying backpacks full of gear, thinking they were being deployed.

The same basic orders were given to them, and the team went through the portal to get their armour on.

While you couldn't see through the portal, it would be extreme if there was a large force right on the other side waiting for you, and these groups didn't look like they had done anything to deserve that.

The officers weren't much longer getting back, already equipped, with magical devices and potions ready. That was all that they were planning to send for the day, and the remainder of the Nobles who had gathered were busy refilling the storage crystals, which were draining at a rather astonishing rate with three groups in the trials.

"We are going to need a dedicated team for this." Petros sighed as he realized the issue was the higher ranked trial takers.

They needed much more energy than the Rank One teams had needed, exponentially more, and what had been a simple task had taken him plus the remaining fifteen members of the class to fuel.

The servants came back out an hour later, laughing and joking, while looking much worse for wear, but nearly half the team was wearing armour and carrying weapons that they didn't go in with.

"That is quite the adventure. We had to skip a bunch of stuff because it was too scary, but we found the trial you were referring to. It was a Demonic Gauntlet test, agility, strength, intelligence. Then, right at the end, there was this light sprite, and it was searing everything with light magic, so we bolted and came back." One of the younger maids explained.

If a light sprite was the worst they faced, either this was a very wholesome group, or they had left near the start of the trial. But it was enough for Petros. The trials weren't all the same, or even the same setting. Knowing that was enough to know that he couldn't write out a manual to prepare them before they went in.

"You guys really went all out for this, didn't you?" He asked Wolfe.

"You have no idea. Some of the things we wanted to try but which got rejected were even more wild. Well, some were bad ideas, like leaving the fallen members in the time loop and having them see later teams as enemies. That would just lead to overpopulation." Wolfe explained.

There was a surge of energy from the Lowest Planes, as the Divine One, or one of its officers, expressed its displeasure at the suggestion, and then the flood of power flowed into Wolfe, corrupting his mana cores even further, until they were almost entirely made of the Unholy Energy.

Petros wasn't the only one staring at him, but Wolfe kept a tight lid on the seal over his mana cores even as he filled them with energy.